The Patriotic Front government has no capacity to better the livelihood especially the rural population, Open Society Foundation executive director Sunday Chanda has charged.

In an interview yesterday, Mr. Chanda cautioned the PF government against politicking on job creation because this would soon backfire.

“The PF government has departed from the zeal it possessed while in the opposition to create jobs for rural and urban youth. This is demonstrated in its failure to develop and launch a National Youth’s jobs plan as directed by President Michael Sata on 12th March 2012,” said Mr. Chanda.

He said it was total politicking by Ministers in the PF to promise the people in rural areas that government would create 15000 jobs in the next three years for the youths in the rural Zambia.

Mr. Chanda said the lies have started catching up with the PF who could no longer dupe people. He said all lies by PF was now working against the leadership, adding that lack of job creation for the youths would cost the PF 2016 elections.

“It is politicking for Ministers to talk about creating jobs for rural based youth.

What plan is the minister? What will be the quality of those envisioned jobs and how permanent will they be?

Our first challenge to government is what happened to President Sata’s directive and the announcement made by the Minister that the President would launch whatever plan they will develop?” Mr. Chanda asked.

He said rural youths should not be targeted just because elections were approaching now.

Mr. Chanda urged young people in rural areas to reject any attempt to have them believe that the PF government was committed to job creation, reducing of high levels of poverty among the youths and promoting a quality government for all.

“Our view is that rural-based youths must not just be targeted as elections approach. It is the duty of PF to honour its campaign promises of creating jobs for our youth but this will not be attained through talking.

“If government means well on creating jobs for young people, both in urban and rural areas, let them taken an Employment Bill to Parliament,” said Mr. Chanda.

He said Zambia needed policies speaking in the direction of economic empowerment for the youth.

“It is not just about screaming figures.

Show us the feasibility studies confirming the figures otherwise we might as well dismiss that as another promise like the rest of the promises in the PF manifesto. Unemployment must be dealt with in a more organized sense as opposed to the haphazardness we are treated to. We challenge the PF government to find political will to do so,” said Mr. Chanda.